In between Pain and Family
by magan bagan
Summary: Written for SSAA. What did we miss in Bella and Edward's lives between No One Saw the Pain and The Family that stays Together? A little bit of fluff, a little bit of healing, and a series of perfect holidays.
1. A Birthday Surprise

_In April I participated in the Support Stace Author Auction and in turn was bought by the lovely **Ysar**. So, as per her request I present this mini story to you. It takes place in between No One Saw the Pain and The Family that Stays Together. It's the holidays that we missed. A little light fluff for everyone to enjoy. This will be about three chapters and will include a companion piece about Alice and Jasper as well. I hope you all enjoy._

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

Chapter One

A Birthday Surprise

The week of my birthday I kept insisting to both Edward and Alice that I did not want a party. In light of everything that had happened, I didn't think that a big 'to do' would be the best thing.

But, just like always, Alice ignored me, not telling me a word of what she was planning. She was a force of nature and there was no stopping her.

I was still finding my way back to being comfortable around Edward. It had been two weeks since I finally let him touch me, even kiss me, and it was still somewhat difficult to let go.

Night seemed to be when I was the most comfortable with him. He'd hold me in his arms when we went to bed, and everything else just melted away. It was almost as though we existed in our own little bubble together.

When I woke up on the morning of my birthday I realized that I was all alone. I sat up sleepily and searched around the room for him.

"Happy birthday, love." Edward said softly as he entered the room. He had a tray of food in his hands that he carried with him, placing it on his side of the bed before coming over to me. "Good morning." He kissed my forehead.

I blushed. "Good morning. And thank you."

Edward held my cheek gently in his hand, his crooked grin playing across his lips as he looked into my eyes. "Anything for the birthday girl." He leaned in and kissed me softly for a moment. "Now, would you like your breakfast?" He asked after pulling back slightly.

"Please." I grinned.

Chuckling, he turned around and picked up the tray, placing it careful on top of my lap. "I figured that we could share. Does that sound alright?"

I smiled and nodded.

He had made an assortment of food, my favorite being pancakes. There was fruit, eggs, bacon, and sausage. He even had coffee and orange juice for both of us.

Grinning, he handed a fork to me and pressed his lips softly to my temple before encouraging me to eat.

I giggled when he picked up a strawberry with his fork and held it up to my mouth for me. "Edward," I blushed.

"Eat." He insisted, his grin turning into a mischievous smirk.

"Alright." I took his offering, my cheeks still stained red from my embarrassment, and chewed it slowly before swallowing. "Thank you."

He winked at me and continued eating.

Once we both had our fill Edward slipped out of the bed and picked up the tray. I tried to protest, but he just shook his head at me. "Today is your day, love. I'll take care of these while you're in the shower."

Usually my birthdays weren't a big deal and I was fine with that fact. Now with Edward pampering me and taking care of me, I wasn't entirely sure how to handle it.

I eventually got out of the bed and got myself ready for the day, putting on some comfortable jeans and a top that Alice had gotten for me. I brushed my hair and put on some shoes before making my way downstairs.

Waiting for me in the entryway, Edward held my jacket out for me. "Are you ready, Bella?"

"For what?" I asked, slightly confused, slipping my arms into the sleeves as Edward helped me put it on. "Don't you have to work today?"

"Today, I am all yours. I requested the weekend off." He made sure the jacket was on securely. "Now, we have a busy day to attend to."

My eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you planning, Edward Cullen?"

"Bella, will you please let me have my fun." He placed his arm around my waist when we got on the elevator. "You will like this, I promise."

Still somewhat suspicious, I watched him for a moment and decided to try and be gracious. "Okay." I smiled at him.

We left the apartment building and went into the garage to get the Volvo. He held my hand in his, our fingers intertwined as he rubbed soothing circles into my skin. I had to remind myself that it was Edward and he wouldn't hurt me.

Our first stop was a new art gallery downtown. Edward parked the car and got out quickly so he could open my door for me. "I've heard you mention a few times that you'd like to go to a gallery opening and I received an invitation last week for this one."

I kissed his cheek after he shut my door. "Thank you."

He took my hand in his again and we made our way to the entrance. "After you," he held the door open for me and followed me in. Once he gave his name to the host we were able to move into the exhibit.

There was so much to see, I could hardly believe it. "Where should we start?"

Edward glanced around the room and ran his free hand through his hair. "I think that it begins over here." I pointed to an area to our left.

"Let's go then." I felt like squealing, but refrained. I didn't want to cause any unwanted attention on myself.

The first section had a series of photographs. They were black and white, taken with different lenses and at different speeds to create specific effects. Each told a piece of the overall story.

I was already intrigued and we had barely started.

As we moved further along, each section became more and more engrossing. The artists' use of colors and strokes on his paintings left me in awe. He was extremely talented.

Edward made me blush when he asked if I enjoyed a particular piece and then insisted on purchasing it after I showed him the one that was my favorite.

When I got angry at him for spending such a large amount of money on me and tried to walk away, he just wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. It was an internal struggle for me to breathe and not panic.

"Bella, why does my spending money on you upset you so much?" He asked.

I didn't want to have this conversation here, but he made no attempt to release me. "I would never be able afford to get you anything nearly as nice. Besides, I don't need expensive things. I have everything that I need and want."

He kissed my temple. "Bella, that's exactly why I like to buy you things. You aren't materialistic. Love, you are an amazing woman and you deserve to be treated well." His crooked smile flashed across his features. "Especially on your birthday."

Trying to glare at him, I narrowed my eyes, but gave in when I saw the look in his eyes. He really wanted to do this for me. "Alright." I groaned internally, unable to say no to him. "Thank you."

"You are more than welcome." He whispered before pressing his lips to the back of my hand, when he pulled back he lifted one arm from around my waist to check his watch. "Is there anything else that you would like to see?"

I looked around the room to see what was left. The other sections looked okay, but I wasn't dying to see them. "No, I'm finished."

"Okay then. It's time for our next stop." He led us back out to the car and drove us to our next destination.

About half an hour later we arrived in front of an old movie house. I eyed him strangely when he helped me out of the car.

He put his arm around my waist and kissed my hair, thankfully unaware of the slight flinch I had made when he first touched me. "In about ten minutes there's going to be a showing of 'An American in Paris'. I know that it's one of your favorites."

I was shocked at the detail Edward had put into this day. He had remembered little things that I had mentioned in passing. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close to me, wanting to feel as much of him as I could. "Thank you."

Edward placed a tiny kiss on my ear and rubbed my back soothingly for a moment. "You're welcome." He whispered.

Grinning, I pulled back a little to see his face, and then pressed my lips to his softly. It was a chaste kiss, perfect and delicate. I hadn't initiated our physical contact since before I was taken, and it felt good to do so. My fingers wound through his bronze locks as I pulled him closer to me.

He smiled against my lips and groaned softly. "We better head inside, the movie's about to start." His voice was husky, his lips still lingering against mine.

I blushed and nodded.

So far, my birthday had been perfect; breakfast in bed, a gallery trip, now getting to see one of favorite musicals in a theatre. I felt so lucky to have Edward. Maybe I would be lucky enough not to have to endure another one of Alice's over the top extravaganzas.

That was a long shot, but there was always hope.

We reluctantly pulled apart, Edward taking my hand in his, and then bringing us into the theatre. I hated having to force myself not to panic, but my body was still working through everything. He offered to get me refreshments, but I wasn't in the mood for any.

Once we got to our seats, I settled in and turned my attention to Edward.

He noticed and grinned at me. "What?"

I kissed his cheek. "Thank you for today. I really needed this." I whispered

"You're welcome, love." He chuckled and kissed my hair.

The movie was great. When it neared the end I found myself unwilling to leave. I wanted to stay in that spot and not move the rest of the day.

Eventually Edward insisted that we had one more stop to make before heading home, gently pulling me to my feet.

We went to a bookstore and Edward insisted that I pick up a few books. He didn't want me sitting around bored and I thought that was a sweet gesture.

So I spent a long time going up and down the aisles, picking out the books that I wanted. I always got lost in my own little world when surrounded by books.

As I finished up, Edward pulled out his credit card and picked up the books that I wanted into his arms. I wanted to protest, but managed a smile and followed him to the checkout counter.

He brought us home, putting the bags on the back of the couch, and then ushered me toward the stairs. "Come on, love."

I let him bring me up stairs, and then refused to do anything else when we got into the bedroom. "Edward Culled, what is going on with you?"

"Bella, please just change your clothes." He pleaded with me.

"No." I put my hands on my hips and pouted defiantly. "Not until you tell me why."

He hung his head in defeat. "Alice has instructed me to take you to Forks for your birthday party."

"Edward," I groaned. "Please don't make me do this. Please?"

"Bella, love, I promise you that Alice has kept this very toned down." He tried to assure me, putting his hands on the tops of my arms. "It won't be as bad as you are imagining."

I wanted to protest, but I could see pleading in his eyes. "Fine." I relented.

"Thank you, Bella." He smiled appreciatively.

"Right." I shoved his shoulder gently and pushed my way past him to the closet.

Dressing in the closet, I thought over our day together. My reactions to even the simplest of gestures. I wondered if I would ever be truly comfortable with him touching me again.

I brushed my hair and grabbed my cell phone before heading downstairs.

Edward was waiting for me by the elevator with his crooked smile in place. "You look beautiful, love." He whispered.

My cheeks reddened and I heard him chuckle beside me.

All throughout the drive Edward tried to distract me, to get my mind off of what we were heading out for. He asked me questions, nonchalantly trying to keep my focus on him.

When he finally pulled up to his parents' house, he let out a deep sigh and came around the car to open my door for me. I tried to smile at him, to let him know that I was okay, but it ended up looking like a grimace instead.

Leading the way to the house, Edward tentatively reached for my hand. I cringed at first, but welcomed the comfort of his embrace.

"Happy Birthday, Bella!" My friend's cried as Edward and I walked into the Cullen's home.

I blushed furiously, squeezing Edward's hand. "This is toned down?" I whispered to him.

"Very much so." He kissed my hair. "Please behave."

"Come on over here. Let's start this celebration off right." Alice motioned to me.

Shyly, I made my way into the room and tried not to cringe as I took in all of the decorations. The hundreds of flowers that adorned practically every surface in the living room, the food set up on the coffee table, my birthday cake on top of Edward's piano, and the mountain of presents I had requested they not get on the floor in front of his piano.

Alice and Jasper hugged me and wished me Happy Birthday. Emmett and Rosalie did the same, Emmett getting a bit too much enjoyment out of watching me squirm and blush.

Then I went to Carlisle and Esme, they hugged me tightly and each kissed me on the head. They asked me the typical parental questions and playfully warned that if Edward was giving me any trouble I should let them know.

Charlie was standing next to Carlisle. He seemed embarrassed at first, eventually pulling me into a hug. I told him that I loved him and kissed his cheek, receiving a mumbled "I love you, too," from him.

I tried to ignore the extreme embarrassment that threatened to take over as we sat down to eat. Being a klutz didn't exactly make me jump for joy at being the center of attention.

Instead, I focused my attention on Edward. Things between us weren't where they were before, but we were getting there. Today had been a big step for us. I loved that he was so patient with me.

"My present for you is at home, love." Edward smiled at me, his arm around my shoulders. He must have noticed me glancing at the large pile of gifts

"Edward, I said that I didn't want any presents." I complained. They had already done so much for me and there was no way that I could repay them. Giving me presents just put us more out of balance.

He just shook his head and touched his fingers to my lips. "You will like this one, I promise. It didn't cost me any money." He assured me.

I didn't want anything else from him. He had spent more than enough money on me today as it was.

"Love, I promise you that I didn't spend any money on it." He repeated again trying to reassure me, gauging my reaction.

When I nodded my approval he seemed to relax.

Alice had some finger sandwiches and fruit set up for us to eat. She had matching plates, cups and napkins put out.

Charlie and I sat and talked as we quietly munched on our food. I smiled when I felt Edward sit down beside me, staying close, but not hovering.

It wasn't long after we finished eating that Alice insisted that it was time to open presents. I wanted to throttle her.

Much to my chagrin, they had all spent way too much money on me. Emmett and Rosalie had gotten me a new state of the art lap top. Carlisle and Esme gave me tickets for Edward and I to go to New York and for a show on Broadway. Jasper and Alice had gotten me more CD's than I knew what to do with. Some of them were extremely hard to come by and had to be ordered out of the country. I couldn't believe it. Charlie had gotten me a beautiful digital camera that must have cost him a fortune.

I tried to protest and Charlie just shushed me. "Take it, Bells."

How could I say no to him? "Thank you, Dad." I nodded and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. I chuckled when he waved me off, embarrassed by my display of affection.

Thankfully, Alice didn't insist on lighting candles and singing to me when it came time to cut the cake. I don't know if I would have made it through such an embarrassing moment.

Esme packed up the cake for us when it started getting late. She handed it to Edward since the possibility of my dropping it was extremely high.

Carlisle and Emmett carried my presents out to the Volvo for me and put them in the trunk.

We said our goodbyes to everyone, promising to call and get together again soon. I saved my goodbye to Charlie for last, making sure to hug him extra tight. I promised to call him later in the week and then got into Edward's car.

I considered suggesting to him that we just stay in Port Angeles for the night, but his maniacal driving would get us back home in plenty of time so I just left it alone.

He woke me up when he parked in the garage of our building, kissing my temple softly. "Will you be able to carry the cake, love?" The amusement on his face was on difficult to miss.

Glaring at him as he shut my door, I held my hands out for the box. "I think I can manage it."

"Alright, I'll meet you at the elevator." He said, unaffected by my anger. "I love you, Bella."

In a huff I stomped off, sticking my tongue out at him as I made my way into the building.

"Happy Birthday, Miss." The sweet doorman called to me.

"Thank you, Mr. Varner." I grinned at him, pressing the button for the elevator. I stepped into the elevator when the doors opened, jumping slightly as Edward slipped in behind me.

Smiling, he ducked his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Bella. I couldn't help it. You look so adorable when you get angry."

I continued to glare at him, until he kissed me gently on the temple, effectively changing my mood. "You make it extremely difficult to stay angry with you, Edward Cullen." I muttered.

"That's a good thing, love." He winked at me.

Once we got to the apartment, I brought the leftover cake to the kitchen, glancing around to make sure everything else was in order.

When I went upstairs to our room, I found Edward sitting in the middle of the bed, a small box sitting right in front of him.

I gasped in surprise and went to sit down in front of him. I chewed on my lip nervously and looked into his eyes. He handed the present to me and I took in a deep breath before opening it. "Edward this is too much." I looked up from the box after opening it.

He just kissed the top of my head. "Love, nothing is too much for you. Besides, it's been in my family for a long time, it deserves to be worn." He took the bracelet from the box and carefully put it on my wrist.

"It's beautiful." I managed whispered.

The chain was thin and silver and a diamond heart rested in the middle. It was perfect and not overly done, just the way that I liked it.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you are." He smiled and kissed my hand, brushing his lips lightly over my knuckles and eliciting my signature blush.

I brought my arms around him and pulled him in to me for a hug. This seemed to be just the right ending to an amazing day.

* * *

Thank you very much to **rmcrms5** for beta-ing these chapters for me! I really appreciate it.


	2. Evil Pixie Holidays

I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

Chapter Two

Evil pixie Holidays

Growing up, holidays were always relatively simple affairs. When I lived with Renee we would get our favorite movies from the video store, curl up on the couch with a fluffy blanket and hot chocolate, and stay up all Christmas Eve night, watching the movies until we couldn't keep our eyes open any more.

When I lived with Charlie, he would drive us down to La Push and we would spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on the reservation with Billy and Jacob. They tried to make me feel more welcome by going all out, but I was never really one who needed all of that.

Once I moved out for college and took a hiatus from going to Forks, I quit going to La Push as well. I knew it hurt Charlie, but I just couldn't handle it.

Even though things were still strained, I still hoped to see Charlie at some point during the holidays.

I was at home working on the dedication for my book when I got a call from Alice, requesting me to meet her for lunch. Once we had the time set I ended the call with her turning my attention back to the computer screen.

_I love you doesn't seem like enough, but I do. I don't think I would be here if it wasn't for you. You saved me in more ways than one. Thank you._

As I read those words over again I couldn't help but wonder if there was more I could say. Edward had truly done so much for me, and I could never find the right words to tell him.

Letting out a groan, I sent the dedication to Angela and shut down my lap top. I couldn't be late to meet Alice. She seemed to be in a peculiar mood and I didn't want to get on her bad side.

So once I closed the lap top I grabbed my coat from the hall closet and my purse before taking the elevator down.

The restaurant we were meeting at was within walking distance of the apartment, so I decided to do that. Even though it was freezing outside, it felt good to change things up a little.

Alice was seated at a table and practically bouncing off of the walls when I arrived. She wasn't jumping up and down or anything, but I could feel the excitement just radiating off of her. This could not be a good thing.

I had barely finished placing my food and drink order when Alice began.

"Well, since next week is Christmas, I thought that we could discuss our plans." She explained as small smile lighting up her face.

"Okay." I nodded in agreement.

The waitress came over with our drinks at that moment. She quietly placed them on the table and let us know our food would be out soon.

I reached for my glass and took a long sip before Alice started talking.

She pulled out a large binder from her bag and flipped it open. "I know this may seem silly to you, but this year will be the first time since I was a teenager that the entire family will be together."

Chewing on my bottom lip, I shook my head. "I don't think that's silly, Alice."

"Good." Her smile brightened. "To commemorate that, I thought that we could do something special. Have a big celebration, so to speak."

Nodding my head again, I tried not to make any rash judgments. She seemed so excited about this and I hated disappointing her.

"For all of Christmas week, I made up a list of things for everyone to do, leading up to Christmas Day." She held up a large manila envelope that had been inside of the binder.

Before I had a chance to say anything, the waitress was back with our food. She placed our plates in front of us and asked if we needed anything else, and left when we said that we were fine.

"Alice, I don't think that would be such a good idea." I wanted to say more, but she interrupted me.

"Bella, I didn't say that we would be doing all of these things together." It was almost as though she could read my mind. "Only some of these things. Basically I made up a list that is specific to each couple. Please, Bella," she begged me. "I promise this will be fun. We all need to have some fun."

I tried my best to ignore her famous puppy dog eyes and Cullen pout, but there was no way that I could say no to her and she knew it. "Fine," I said with a groan. "I'll go along with this."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." She squealed loudly.

Rolling my eyes, I held my hand out for the envelope. "I hope you know that you will owe me if I end up being miserable."

Alice just waved me off. "Whatever you say Bella." She was so excited my sour mood didn't seem to faze her at all.

We finished eating our lunch and managed to have a nice conversation once she moved on from the plan. I was reaching for the bill that the waitress set down, when Alice kindly reminded me that it was her turn.

I reluctantly let her pay and got up when everything was settled, walking out of the restaurant with her.

"Okay," she hugged me tightly and took my hands in hers when she pulled back, "don't open the envelope until next Monday. We're not going to make it to dinner tonight so we won't see you until next week. Have fun."

My head was spinning for a moment. I wanted to argue with her, but I thought better of it. Alice always managed to get her way in the end.

She kissed me on the cheek quickly and headed down the street to her car before I could say anything. Devious little pixie.

I clutched the envelope in my hand and walked home slowly. Whatever Alice had planned was bound to be over the top and I was probably going to spend the rest of the weekend worrying about it.

This was why I hated the holidays. People always went crazy.

When I got home I placed the envelope on the table behind the living room couch. To keep myself busy I cleaned the apartment from top to bottom and then when I was certain that it was germ free I went down to the kitchen to start on dinner.

Lasagna was on the menu tonight and I took my time preparing it, enjoying being in the kitchen. I had missed being able to cook and it felt good.

Edward came in as I put our dinner in the oven. "Hi," he breathed, coming into the kitchen and holding his arms open for me.

I made my way over to him and curled myself into his embrace. "I missed you."

Kissing the top of my head, I could tell that he was smiling. "So have I."

After another moment I pulled back from him and smiled. Relaxing around Edward was becoming easier with each passing day. I couldn't imagine having a more amazing fiancé than him. He was my angel.

"Dinner is in the oven, it should be done in about half an hour." I told him.

He glanced toward the oven and breathed in deeply. "Mmmm. Well, it smells delicious."

"Thank you." I grabbed a couple of wine glasses and went to pick out some wine.

Edward was already a step ahead of me, opening a bottle of merlot. "What's that envelope in the living room for?" He asked.

I grimaced. "Alice."

He shook his head, chuckling, as he removed the cork. "What does that little pixie have up her sleeves now?" He poured the wine in both glasses and then handed one to me.

Shrugging my shoulders, I looked into his eyes. "She didn't really tell me all of the details. All I was able to determine was that she's planned some activities that are to take place throughout Christmas week, ending on Christmas Day."

"And all of that information is conveniently in that little manila envelope?" The amusement laced in his voice was clear. He knew that we would end up going along with whatever she had planned anyways. "Why haven't you opened it?"

"Well, Alice has requested that we wait until Monday so that we all start together." I explained.

Taking a sip from his glass, Edward chuckled softly. "Of course she did." He shook his head again before turning his attention to me. For a few minutes he seemed to be gauging my reaction, seeing how I felt about the whole situation. After a few minutes he let out a sigh and brought his free hand up to cup my face. "I know that you don't want to do this, Bella, but please consider it. For me?"

I pouted, trying extremely hard not give in. Every time he looked at me like that I gave in. "Edward," I groaned. I looked into his eyes again and finally admitted defeat. "You and Alice both. You will both owe me if this ends up being horrible."

Laughing, Edward pulled me in a little bit closer and pressed his lips softly to my forehead. "I promise to make it up to you if we don't have a good time."

Narrowing my eyes at him for making fun of me, I sighed. "Okay."

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

I was curled up against Edward's side Monday morning, already having been awake for about thirty minutes, when I felt him stir.

He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my arm gently as he stretched his body. "Good morning," he said sleepily.

"Good morning," I whispered. I rested my chin on his chest and smiled up at him.

Edward's eyes were still half lidded with sleep as he looked down at me. "How long have you been awake?" He yawned.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not very long."

"Bella," he warned.

"Okay, about half an hour." I admitted.

Shaking his head, Edward kissed the top of my head and moved to climb out of the bed. I tried to tighten my arms around him, but he smiled at me in assurance and held up his hand to let me know he would just be a minute. He left the room.

A few minutes later he came back into the room, the manila envelope in his hand. He climbed back into the bed and let me snuggle against him again. "I know you've wanted to open this, so how about we do it now." Edward suggested.

I nodded and pulled myself a little closer to him.

He kissed my temple and then got to work. It was closed by a brad, so he lifted them up, and then peaked inside. He pulled out a couple of sheets of paper and after glancing over them quickly, handed one to me.

My name was at the top.

_Bella,_

_I know that this hasn't exactly been the best year for you; some truly horrific things have taken place that you never should have had to endure. So, seeing as how this is your first Christmas with Edward, I thought that we could try and make it extra special. As I told you I have made a list of things for you to do this week. Places for you to go and activities for you to partake in. _

_You are not just my best friend, I consider you my sister. And, since you are my sister, I want you to try and have fun this year. Enjoy yourself, enjoy Edward. The two of you have something really special, he really does love you. The two of you could use this._

_Please try this for me. It won't be anything too bad, I promise. Have fun._

_Love, Alice_

When I finished reading the letter I turned to see Edward pulling a binder out of the envelope. He opened it and we began reading over some of the activities that Alice had come up with for us.

I was quite surprised at how toned down she had been, there was nothing that really required copious amounts of money or either of us having to dress in black tie clothing. She was very thorough, but did compile the list specifically to us.

Edward grunted as he read the one for Wednesday. We had to separately go to the two stores she had mentioned and pick up each other's Christmas gifts. Apparently she had picked them out for us as well.

"This won't be too bad," he sighed once we finished, closing the binder.

Part of me wanted to find something to complain about it, to still find some way to get out of, but the annoying little pixie had gone out of her way to make this list perfect for the both of us. "Yeah, it could be fun."

He rubbed my arm absentmindedly, his fingers causing goose bumps to appear on my skin. "I'll get off work about five today. How about when I get a break, I'll call this diner that she has written down and place our order?"

"Okay, I can pick it up on my way to meet you at this park. Do you have a digital camera?" I asked, glancing over the first entry again.

Edward rubbed his eyes for a moment. "Yes. It's in the drawer of the coffee table closest to the windows." He glanced down at this watch and groaned. "I have to get ready." He kissed the top of my head and climbed out of the bed.

I pouted, being away from him, even for just a few hours, was incredibly difficult. Things between us were finally getting better. I was at the place now where I didn't have a panic attack whenever he touched me. Sometimes I would mildly flinch, but even that was becoming a rare occurrence.

"Bella," he came out of the closet a few minutes later impeccably dressed, except for his tie, "can you get this for me?" He came over to the bed and stood in front of me, placing his jacket on top of the comforter.

Rising to my knees, I quickly worked on his tie, all the while maintaining the pout on my lips. When I finished, I rested my hands on his chest and watched as he took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

He placed his hands on my waist gently. "Love, you know this isn't easy for me either. Every time I have to leave this apartment without you I feel like my heart is breaking." His voice broke as he finished.

Feeling a little brave, I grabbed a hold of his tie and pulled him toward me, pressing my lips to his. I considered deepening the kiss, but realized that I wasn't ready to take that step yet.

We kissed softly for a few minutes, Edward's hands wound through my hair and holding me close to him. "Love," he panted, "I have to go."

Pouting again, I reluctantly let him go.

He put his jacket on and then took my face in his hands again. "I will see you at five-thirty, love. Be sure to dress warm." He released me and turned toward the door.

I nodded, fighting back the fear I felt every time he had to go. "Be careful."

"Always." He winked at me and walked out of the room.

Once he closed the door I fell back on the bed. The binder of activities lay open on Edward's side of the bed. I stared at it for a few minutes.

This was definitely going to be an interesting week.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

I was sitting on a bench in the park that evening with the basket of food I picked up from the diner resting on my lap. From where I was sitting I had a wonderful view of my surroundings. There was a gorgeous fountain in the middle of the park that I'm sure lit up at night.

Lamps lined the paved walk ways, the snow on the ground giving off a sort of Winter Wonderland feel.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Edward said into my ear.

Jumping in my seat, I nearly shrieked. "Oh Edward, you scared me." I hit his arm playfully.

The amusement in his voice was clear, as he rubbed his arm. "Forgive me, love. I thought that you saw me." He sat down next to me on the bench, his eyes suddenly looking concerned. "Are you alright?" His tone was laced with concern.

"I'm fine, Edward." It hurt me that we couldn't really even tease each other the way that most couples would, without worrying about truly scaring each other. I glanced down at the basket that was still on my lap. "Are you hungry?" I asked him softly, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckled. "I am starving." He opened the basket and started pulling out the food, handing a container of soup and a plastic spoon to me.

Taking a sniff of it when I opened the container, I realized that it was a bowl of tortilla soup. One of my favorites. I combined the rest of the ingredients and ate a couple of mouthfuls, reveling in the warmth it sent down my throat.

"Good?" Edward smiled at me, a sparkle of amusement in his eyes.

Blushing, I nodded and ate another mouthful before answering. "It is very good. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He bit into a French fry and took a quick glance around the park. "Alice really does know how to pick out the best." He mused.

"She does. I feel like I'm in a Winter Wonder or something. All we need now is Frosty the Snowman to come out and start singing." I sipped my soup.

Edward laughed jovially, the musical sound making me tingle. "I've missed that."

"What?" I looked around us to find what he was talking about.

He tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, cupping my cheek in his hand. "You're sense of humor, my love. I've missed your jokes and silly little quips. It's good to hear."

I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth.

After a moment we went back to eating our food. We smiled and talked a bit about the holidays, what else we would be doing that week with Alice's plan. I had gotten so caught up in our conversation that I hadn't even noticed when the sun went down.

The lamps along the walkway were lit, casting a beautiful glow all around us. The fountain was also turned on now, the water flowing and the lights inside the little pool created a serene mood.

I turned my attention to Edward and noticed that his eyes were on me.

His eyes were watching me in earnest, trying to read my reaction. It was almost as though he was trying to read my mind. "Do you want to look at the fountain?" He asked gently.

Feeling a smile pull at my lips, I nodded my head. "Yes. I would love too."

Edward rose to his feet and held his hand out for mine. He was such a gentleman. It seemed to be just as natural to him as breathing. Always taking care of me, I didn't deserve someone so selfless.

I put my hand in his and he helped me to my feet.

We made our way through the beautifully lit park, hand in hand. It was completely romantic and felt very much like a black and white 1950s movie. I half expected us to stand in front of the fountain and kiss with a fade out.

Being around Edward made me feel foggy and lightheaded, and now with the ambiance created by the fountain and the lamps, I was in a daze.

Edward had us stop in front of the fountain, and we stood quietly and just watched. Neither of us spoke as we enjoyed the moment.

"Bella, would you take a picture with me?" Edward asked, applying a light pressure to my hand to bring me out of my daze.

I winced. "Edward, you know that I hate taking pictures."

He nodded his head. "Yes I do, but what better way to fulfill our next activity on today's list than to take the picture of ourselves in the park."

That damn smile. He smiled his sexy crooked grin and I couldn't say no to him.

"Fine." I gave in.

He took the camera out of his jacket pocket and positioned us so that I was standing in front of him with my back against his chest, and our backs were to the fountain. He held the camera out, counted down, and took the picture.

I blushed when we stepped a part.

Edward laughed and reached for my hand. "Are you ready to go home, love?"

"Umm, yes. It's getting colder." I told him.

He gathered up our things and we walked to our cars.

For the next few days that's how our week continued. We spent the day a vineyard, going horseback riding and tasting wine. Then we separately picked up each other's Christmas presents and met up for lunch. We took each other to our favorite places in the world.

Mine was the bookstore. There was just something about the smell of books.

Edward took me to a little meadow that he found in Forks. It was perfect; a little piece of heaven on Earth. The sun came out for the occasion and after much cajoling from Edward, we danced between the sun's rays as he hummed my lullaby.

That evening was Christmas Eve and we went to his parent's house as the last stop on our little trip.

Alice insisted that we tell her about our weeks. She wanted every last detail and was not going to be denied, so we stayed up late rehashing what had happened for her.

In the morning I woke up next to Edward. After spending months in such a bad way, it felt nice to be happy, even if just for a little while.

"Do you want to open your present?" He had a look in his eye that reminded me of a little boy when he wakes up Christmas morning and sees presents all under the tree.

"You don't want to wait for your family?" I was trying to stall for time. Giving presents to someone was a lot easier for me to do than receiving them.

He pressed his lips to my forehead delicately and then pulled back slightly so that he could look into my eyes. "I want it to be just the two of us. This week has been exactly what we needed and I don't want to break that spell so to speak."

"Okay," I sleepily rubbed my eyes and smiled at him.

Edward climbed out of the bed for a minute and went over to his bag. He searched through it and when he had a small wrapped box in his hand, he came back to the bed and lay down next to me again. "Please be gracious."

I moved to my back so that I was a bit more comfortable and tore into the wrapping paper. Once I got down to the white box beneath the paper, I lifted the lid and nearly gasped at what was inside.

"Silver antique hair pins." Edward lifted one from the box and then tenderly slid it into my hair. "I remember my mother wearing a pair that belonged to my great-grandmother. They beautiful, but sadly broke last year. Alice helped me track these down."

"Oh… they are beautiful, Edward. Way too expensive, but beautiful." I kissed him quickly. When was I going to stop being surprised at how perfect he was?

He kissed my forehead. "Nothing is too much for you, love."

Placing my gift down carefully, I climbed out of his bed and went over to my bag and got his gift. When I got it, I got back into the bed quickly.

He opened it quietly, much the same as I had, only making a noise when he saw what was inside the box. "Bella," he choked out as he lifted the leather bound composition book out. His initials were in gold lettering along the right corner. "Thank you, love." He leaned over and pressed his lips against mine.

I looked into his eyes when we parted, watching the excitement he felt flicker. "I hate to admit it, but the little pixie was right." Edward cocked his head to the side slightly, a questioning look on his face. "This was an amazing Christmas."

* * *

Thank you very much to **rmcrms5** for beta-ing these chapters for me! I really appreciate it.


	3. Welcome to the New Year

I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

**Please check out the author's note at the end.  
**

* * *

Chapter Three

Welcome to the New Year

On the morning Edward and I were driving back to Seattle, I found myself in Carlisle's office. When I was a teenager, I had spent a lot of time in that room. It was probably one of my favorite places in the world, with his incredible and extensive library collection.

I snuck in there pretty early that morning and curled up on one of the long leather couches with a copy of Pride and Prejudice. With a blanket I had taken from Edward's room wrapped snuggly around me, I quickly found myself lost in the world of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy.

Even though I knew exactly the way it ended, I couldn't help getting swept up in the story as though it was my first time reading it. I heard the door to the office open and glanced up quickly, to see Edward trying to sneak in without disturbing me.

He was always so considerate of me. Forget about Mr. Darcy, Edward was everything that I could have dreamed of that I wanted. And the best part was that he was real and right in front of me.

I tried to keep my eyes focused on the book, to act as though I hadn't heard him come in the room.

When I felt him settled in behind me, my heart beat increased. Whether it was from the lingering fear I still felt or just from his proximity, I'm not sure. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. "I know that you saw me coming in, Bella. We've already gone over what a terrible actress you are." He teased me.

Pouting, I leaned my head back against his shoulder so that he could see my disapproval.

That only managed to make him chuckle. "I'm sorry, but it's true. And, I love you anyways." He kissed my temple gentle and then pressed his forehead against it. We sat that way for a couple of minutes, it felt familiar and comfortable.

I was learning to enjoy is warm embrace again. There was no way I could tell him that there were still lingering of fear at his touch, but I didn't visibly flinch or pull away as I had before.

"So, I guess that we are leaving soon." I said.

He nodded his head. "I figured that this way, we could get back early enough to maybe take a walk. There's something I've wanted to show you for awhile."

"Really? Okay, I think that would be alright." I told him shyly.

A grin, my favorite grin, spread across his face and he held me a little tighter.

We got up not too long after that and left the office. He grabbed our bags while I went downstairs to say goodbye to our parents.

Charlie had come over Christmas morning and spent part of the day with us, before heading over to La Push. It was nice to see him. Even though we talked on the phone now, it just wasn't the same.

So I went over to him and hugged him, promising to call him when we made it back. I kissed his cheek.

Esme and Carlisle hugged me tightly. They were coming up to Seattle in a few days for New Years Eve; Alice had announced Christmas morning that she wanted to have a party with everyone.

I pressed my cheek to Esme's before stepping out of her grasp and was surprised when Carlisle kissed me on the forehead, making my cheeks turn crimson. They both laughed.

Thankfully, Edward came down the stairs with our bags at that moment. He said his goodbyes to our parents, even shaking hands with Charlie, while I waited by the front door. He smiled at me when he was finished. "Are you ready, love?"

"Yes." I nodded my head.

He opened the front door for me and we waved to his family as we left. Once he had our bags in the trunk, he opened the passenger door for me and waited until I was safely tucked inside before closing it. He maneuvered quickly to his side, starting the Volvo up and grinning at the purr of the engine. When he got to the freeway and was really able to speed up, I took his hand in mine. He squeezed my hand gently and winked at me.

We stayed silent for most of the drive. His iPod was plugged in and we listened to one of his favorite playlists. Arriving back at our apartment, Edward had me wait downstairs while he brought our things in.

I grinned when he came back down and began leading me down the street.

"Edward, where are you taking me?" I had one hand twined with his and the other wrapped tightly around that arm. We had been walking for about ten minutes through an area of Seattle that I had never been before.

He didn't say anything at first and then finally stopped walking, turning us to the right. "Take a look." He smiled.

"Oh…" I lifted my eyes and glanced around at what was in front of me. The sign in front of me said Chittenden Locks. You could take guided boat tours, watch the ferries, or visit the Botanical Gardens.

"Do you like it?" He whispered in my ear.

I could only gasp as I took in the scene before me. "This is beautiful, Edward." I leaned back a little so that I could see his face. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"You are more than welcome, my love." He kissed my cheek. "Shall we?" He gestured toward the dock.

"Yes." I smiled.

He grinned and led me across the street. Since it was too cold to go out on the water, we decided to explore the Gardens.

It was almost like a fairy tale, I had never seen so many different types of flowers before. Edward took pictures for me and even read off the descriptions of the ones that particularly caught my attention.

For awhile I lost track of where I was, feeling almost as though Edward and I were in our own little world. It was just the two of us and it was amazing.

It was such a romantic way to spend an afternoon; I didn't want it to end.

When it started getting late, Edward suggested that we pick up some Mexican food on the way home. I hadn't had enchiladas in a long time so that sounded perfect. He smiled when I agreed and reached out to tuck my hair behind my ear, sliding a bud of an orchid with it.

He didn't give me a chance to respond as he wrapped his arm around my waist, and led me out.

Even though my natural inclination was to get angry with him for spending on me yet again, I decided to let it go. Things had been going well, especially with our afternoon, and I didn't want to spoil it by arguing with him. Besides, it was a small flower.

A relieved smile spread across his face when he saw that I wasn't going to fight him on it.

We found a restaurant down the street from our apartment and got some take-out. My mouth was practically salivating as the aroma of cheese and spices floated up to me. I could hardly wait to get home and eat.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

New Years Eve morning I found myself curled against Edward's pillow, he was nowhere to be seen. I burrowed my face into the fabric and breathed deeply, it smelled just like him. I couldn't describe it, but it was comforting.

I was just about to fall asleep again when I realized that the shower had been running, and was now turned off. What is Edward doing up so early?

He came out of the bathroom dressed in jeans, a snug fitting t-shirt, and a jacket.

The only reason he would be awake and completely dressed this early would be if he was going into the hospital. But he couldn't, this was his day off. "Edward," I said softly.

Coming over to the bed, the look in his eyes told me everything that I already knew. "Bella, I am so sorry." He took my hand in his. "There's been an emergency at the hospital and I have to go in."

"When will you be home?" I couldn't seem to make my voice go any higher than a whisper. Being separated from him was never easy.

Edward sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "Probably not until late this evening, after midnight seems like a good possibility."

I knew that he had to do this, but that did nothing to stop the ache I felt bubbling to the surface at his words. We had to learn how to be apart, it was healthy. "Okay," I finally managed to say.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine, his mouth parted slightly, but he made no move to slip his tongue in. "I will do everything that I can to get home to you as soon as humanly possible." He said against my lips.

A tear slid down my cheek as I nodded my head. I tightened my fingers in his hair, trying to keep him there as long as I could. I just needed to feel him closer; the safety of his arms was all that I needed.

Edward, as gently as possible, removed himself from my grip. A look of amusement was on his face before he pressed one last kiss to my temple.

I lay down and hugged his pillow to me, allowing his scent to wash over me.

"Love," Edward stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, "why don't you give Alice a call? I know that she's going to be busy with Rosalie and my parents, setting up for the party tonight. The distraction should be nice."

"Maybe." I finally told him. "Call me?"

He smiled my favorite smile and nodded. "As soon as I get a break I will call you."

"Okay." I bit my lip.

He stood up and went over to the dresser to grab his cell phone and wallet. "Go back to sleep, love," he said as he stopped in the door way.

I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep again.

That worked for about an hour, and then I just continued to lie in the bed and stare up at the ceiling. Eventually I found my phone and decided to call Alice. She picked up on the third ring. "Hello, Bella."

"Hey, Ali." I rubbed my eyes, trying to help myself wake up a little more. "How is the decorating going?"

"Very well. Jasper, Emmett and Uncle Carlisle are taking care of all the heavy lifting. Aunt Esme, Rosalie and I are working on the food right now." She was talking very fast so I must have caught her in the middle of chopping something.

"That's good, at least everything is underway." I wasn't really sure what to say to her. Usually when we did anything Alice was the one who initiated it.

She quiet for a moment. I could almost picture her standing there with her hands on her hips, waiting for me to go on. "Bella, I know you didn't call to ask me about the party preparations. Talk to me."

"Edward got called into the hospital this morning and he's probably going to be gone all day." I bit my lip, not liking that I was being so vulnerable. "I don't want to be alone." I whispered.

"You can come over if you like. Bring your dress and shoes with you so that you can just change here when its time." There were times where I just wanted to squeeze Alice. We were about to hang up when Alice stopped me. "I hope you know that you don't ever have to ask to come over, Bella. My door is always open for you."

"I know. Thanks, Alice." I ended the call, waiting another minute before climbing out of the bed.

After ten minutes, a fight with my hair brush, and tripping over the box with my new shoes inside, I was on my way to Alice and Jasper's house. I drove slowly since the streets were icy, to avoid getting into an accident.

Carlisle was in the yard hanging some lights when I pulled up. He opened the driver's side door for me and pulled me into a hug. "It's wonderful to see you, Bella."

I grabbed the shoes and garment bag I had placed in the bed of the truck and smiled shyly at him. "Thank you Carlisle. Did you and Esme have a nice drive here?"

"We did, thank you. She's inside with Alice and Rosalie. They've been cooking all morning." He warned me.

I glanced warily toward the house. "Wish me luck."

"You will be fine. We'll talk later." He kissed my forehead and turned back to the lights he had been working on.

Giggling and chopping filled the house as I walked inside. I placed my things on the stairs and made my way into the kitchen. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Oh, Bella," Esme pulled me into a tight embrace. She kissed my cheek and then stepped back to look at me. "How are you doing, my dear?"

I felt my cheeks redden slightly and was grateful when she motioned for me to sit down. Nodding to Alice and Rosalie, I pulled up one of the stools a little closer to the counter and sat down. "I'm doing fine."

Thankfully they didn't push for any more details. I just sat back and listened to them talk and giggle, occasionally tasting one of the hors d'oeuvres that they were making.

Everything was going to be beautiful, Alice never did anything halfway.

Jasper and Emmett would occasionally come into the kitchen to ask for clarification on the table settings or the placement of the rest of the decorations.

Rosalie and Esme eventually left to get ready for the party, leaving Alice and I alone to talk.

I finally noticed how much food had been fixed, placed all around the kitchen. "Ali, did you invite half of Seattle here? There's definitely enough food here for that."

She laughed, looking over her work. "I just wanted to make sure that we had enough. Now all that's left to do is decorating the cookies. Can you hand me one of those?" Alice pointed to the bags carefully laid out on the counter, filled with different colored icing.

Handing one to her, I remembered our sophomore year of high school. She had somehow talked me into helping her with our school's bake sale. We somehow managed to get into food fight and ended up with chocolate frosting all over ourselves and Esme's kitchen.

"What?" Alice asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"I'm going to sit over here. Even though this isn't Esme's kitchen, I don't think she'd be amused if she found us covered in frosting again." I moved to the other side of the counter, putting as much distance between us as possible.

A small snort came from her, obviously remembering the bake sale incident as well. "Have a little faith in me, Bella. We aren't sixteen anymore." She winked at me, before picking up a cookie.

We sat in silence for awhile, Alice working her magic on the cookies while I placed them carefully on the plates she had set out.

"So," she finally spoke, "how are things going with you and Edward?"

"Pretty well actually."I chewed on my lower lip for a second. "I don't know if I thanked you for setting up that Christmas week, but it really was wonderful. Thank you."

Alice grinned. "I'm glad. You and Edward have been through so much, apart and together, I just… wanted you both to take a break from it all and enjoy each other."

"It felt nice to be so comfortable around him again. I'm not completely there yet, but I'm working on it." I admitted. It felt good to talk to her, to my best friend, about this.

"That's wonderful, Bella. You deserve to be happy." She finished up the last of the cookies, checking to see if anything else needed to be done.

Rosalie and Esme came back into the kitchen not too long after that, ushering us out so that we could get ready.

I grabbed my things that I had left on the stairs and followed Alice up to her and Jasper's room. Since she had already done so, Alice had me get in the shower while she got herself ready.

Once my hair was washed and I was clean, I shut the water off and wrapped myself up in a towel. I avoided the mirror as I gathered my toiletries from the shower and dried off. That was something I just couldn't seem to bring myself to do yet.

The dress I was going to wear was black and white. The skirt of it was made of tulle that was white with a couple of layers on top that were black, while the top was one shouldered. There were a few ribbons tied to the pieces of fabric that connected to the shoulder strap.

I put the dress on before heading out into the bedroom so that Alice could do my hair and makeup.

She looked beautiful in a honey colored strapless dress that looked as though it had been melted to her body and took extra care on me.

"What's the point of me getting all dressed up, Ali. It's not like Edward's going to be here to see it." I complained as she put the final touches on my makeup.

Alice just smiled. "This isn't for Edward. You deserve to feel like a princess for a few hours," and she turned me toward the vanity so that I could look into the mirror.

My jaw dropped as I took in the sight before me. Looking at myself this way still wasn't easy, but I could handle it a lot better than when I got out of the shower. Alice had outdone herself with my hair and makeup, it was flawless.

"Thank you," I turned to hug her, kissing her cheek in the process.

Once Alice deemed that we were presentable and ready to go out, she grabbed my hand and led me down to the party.

Guests had begun arriving while we were getting ready and the house was teeming with people mingling, listening to the music and dancing. There were a lot of people from Forks that we had gone to high school with.

My head was spinning as I shook hands and talked with people that I hadn't seen in years. The dull ache I felt at being away from Edward was ever present, the night wearing on and thankfully getting closer and closer to midnight.

I was sipping on a glass of champagne and making my way to the living room to look for some food, when Angela bumped into me.

"Bella, it's so wonderful to see you." She seemed genuinely pleased.

"You, too. It has been such a long time." I had felt horrible taking so much time off of work, but I didn't feel it would be beneficial to anyone if I was only half there and Angela never made me feel guilty for doing so.

Angela smiled, moving so that we weren't blocking the flow of traffic. "Is Edward here? I haven't seen him?"

"No, he had to go into the hospital today." The ache in my stomach flickered at having to mention it. "Is Ben here?"

"He's talking with Jasper I believe." Her husband, Ben, had gone to school with us and I was thrilled when I found out that they were married. "I got the dedication you sent in. It was really beautiful."

I blushed. "Thank you. I hope that it was enough."

She nodded her head. "I'm sure that he will love it, Bella," she tried to assure me.

We talked a little while longer, making plans for me to come into the office after the holidays to meet with her and Mr. Bryant.

I went in search of the hors d'oeuvres when Angela saw Ben being cornered by a few women and went to rescue him.

The holiday music that had been playing stooped, leaving only the steady thrum of voices throughout the house. I was standing over the table trying to decide if I was going to eat in anything, when different music began playing.

A beautiful melody, familiar permeated the air. I couldn't quite place where I had heard it before. And then a voice began to sing.

It was as smooth as silk and sensuous, one that I knew quite. I remained frozen in place, unable to will myself to move.

How? He wasn't supposed to be here.

The house was completely silent except for the music.

My eyes filled with tears, blurring my vision slightly. I felt my feet take on a life of their own as I made my way through the crowd of people, ignoring their stares. The music was coming from the living room.

I had to see him.

Sitting on the piano bench near the back of the living room, was Edward. He smiled crookedly as I walked slowly across the room, his voice singing sweetly just for me. The song was one that he had written after our engagement.

When I finally made it to his side, my cheeks were tear stained.

He played the last few notes, letting his fingers hover over the keys for a moment. Then he brought his hands to his lap and turned on the bench so that he was facing me, a look of apprehension on his face.

Edward had never looked more beautiful to me. With a few strands of his messy bronze hair falling into his eyes, his lips curved into my favorite smile, and a black suit that fit perfectly to his body.

I launched myself into his arms, burying my face in the crook of his neck. A sob escaped my throat as I clung tightly to him. "You're here," I managed.

His hands rubbed up and down along my back in a soothing manner. "I'm here."

"What about the hospital?" I pressed a kiss to his jaw, taking in his scent.

"That was a cover. I went downtown to a friend's recording studio and put together a track for this song, the violins that were playing in the background." He explained, tensing up a little as though he was afraid I was angry with him. "I wanted to do something special for you. Was this alright?"

I pulled back a little so that I could look into his eyes, the emerald pools that melted me to my core. "Thank you. It was perfect." I rested my forehead against, letting out a sigh of contentment. "I missed you," I whispered.

"So did I, love." He wrapped me up in his arms.

"5…4…3…2…1… Happy New Year!" Everyone in the room shouted.

"Happy New Year, Bella." Edward pressed his lips to mine in a tender kiss.

Unwilling to pull back from him, I whispered against his lips, "Happy New Year."

* * *

_Thank you to everyone for reading. I know that it's taken awhile for me to post the next chapter, I wanted to have the story completed. There's just a companion piece left, which is in Alice's POV. Hopefully I can have it up for you guys soon._

_Okay a few notes: **November** **15th- 20th** there will be an auction for **The Fandom Gives Back** and it is hosted by **tby789**, **Lolashoes**, and **ninapolitan**. This is for a really worthy cause, helping to find a cure for childhood cancer, and I am offering myself up for **bid**, so please check out **my auction thread**. The link should be in my profile either tonight or later on tomorrow. _

_Also, **kyla713 and I** have started a podcast called **Cullens Court Cast **andthe link to our blog is in my profile, you can check out past episodes and download them on iTunes. Our most recent guest was **ericastwilight, **and that episode should be up this week._

_The latest **Support Stacie Author Auction** was a huge success. I had two auctions (one with the wonderful **SoceressCirce**) which were bought by some amazing women. Keep your eyes open for these two stories._

_Anyways, thank you all so much for the support and I really hope that you liked this. Thanks again to **rmcrms5 **for betaing this for me.  
_


	4. The Engagement

_I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_

Chapter Four

The Engagement

**Alice POV**

Taking a day off of work had been a smart decision. The atmosphere had been rather tense around my office since we received word that the Volturi brothers were planning to use our company for their fall unveiling. Everyone was on high alert, making the environment overwhelming.

When Bella had agreed to not go into work either, I was thrilled. She normally would never consider doing that, but I could tell that she needed it, too. After a trip to the video store and a takeout order placed to our favorite Italian restaurant, we made our way to my apartment. Jasper had been out of town for a medical conference as well, so I was desperately in need of some girl bonding.

Bella had a wonderful sense of humor, keeping me laughing the entire time. We fed off of each other, making sarcastic comments about the horrible filming or directing of some of the movies we watched.

It was fun and carefree, something I think we both honestly needed.

As our last movie came to an end, I took a sip from my glass of wine, a chuckle escaping my lips.

"What?" Bella had her head resting on the back of the couch we were sharing.

"Do you remember that summer we went to Jacksonville to visit Renee?" I continued when she gave a quick nod of her head. "We unknowingly walked onto a movie set and were really excited; until we figured out that it was for some really cheesy French 'How to Pick up Ladies' video? That's about how I feel right now."

She chuckled, "The make of this was pretty bad."

"No more horror movies for a long time. I can't believe we actually watched the entire thing." I shook my head in annoyance.

"Agreed," Bella sighed. "I think that we need to watch something else to get that out of our heads." She sat up quickly, a mischievous grin dancing across her lips.

I thought for a moment, trying to figure out what movie was causing her to make that face, and then I froze. "Are you kidding me? We've watched that the past three movie nights in a row." I groaned.

"Come on, Alice, you know you love it just as much as I do." Her eyes stayed focused on me with that same hopeful grin on her face, waiting for my reaction.

How could I say no? I very rarely got to see my best friend happy anymore and if watching Heath Ledger in a suit of armor did the trick then I wouldn't complain. "Fine. But, next time we are watching nothing but 'The Producers'. The new version."

Clapping her hands excitedly, Bella jumped up from the couch and went to switch the movies out. She moved quickly, putting the awful rental into its case and placing the next one in the DVD player. After skipping through the credits and hitting play, she went to her couch and picked up one of the pillows.

To my surprise she came over to where I was sitting and placed the pillow in my lap, resting her head on it, and set her feet against the armrest. Whenever we had a movie night in high school we would do the same thing, playing with each other's hair.

After the attack, I was the only one she allowed near her, but our friendship was never really the same. It wasn't either of our faults; she had just been damaged in a way that very few would understand and needed to find a way to heal.

She was still the same Bella, her sense of humor never faltering, yet she was different. Whenever any male would enter the room she visibly flinched, it didn't matter whether it was Charlie, Uncle Carlisle, Jacob, or even Emmett. It was so deeply ingrained that I don't even think she realized she did it after awhile.

As the movie progressed we both gradually relaxed a little more, going back to our normal routine of laughing at joking at our favorite parts. I was braiding her hair when I heard the front door to the apartment being turned.

"Hmm… I wonder who that could be," Bella asked, turning her head toward the front of the room.

I shrugged my shoulders, moving to my feet and making my way toward the door.

Keys jingled and the front door finally opened, revealing a tall, honey blonde haired man. His clothes were slightly disheveled from traveling, stubble graced his normally smooth face, and dark framed glasses rested on his nose.

He was beautiful and strong, leonine. His build was solid, perfect, just the right amount to make me feel safe in his arms. He was my soul mate.

Jasper smiled, exhausted, as he set his bags down by the door and held his arms open for me.

I could hardly believe that it had been a year since Bella had introduced us; it felt as though we had known each other our entire lives. We had a connection that I couldn't describe, it was just right.

A squeal escaped my lips as I realized that Jasper really was standing there, and I ran the small distance to where he was standing and jumped into his waiting embrace. My skin tingled all over as he held me tight against his chest, placing soft, gentle kisses along my neck.

His warm breath and tender kisses made me shiver. "I've missed you," he murmured against my skin.

"So have I," I whispered. "No more conferences for awhile, promise?"

Chuckling, Jasper tightened his hold on me for a moment. "Promise."

I pulled back slightly so that I could see his face. My eyes met his and I took a moment to drink him in.

Dark circles under his eyes alerted me to how tired he really was. I stroked his cheek gently, continuing my assessment of him, noticing his chapped lips and unwashed hair. Past the exhaustion in his eyes, I saw that he was holding something back. Or more accurately, someone. He had seen someone during his trip that he didn't want me to know about. Before I could investigate further, he smiled at me and leaned in to kiss me.

The feel of his lips on mine was enough to distract me, for the moment. I reveled in his touch as he gently sucked on my bottom lip, nibbling lightly as he went. My heart rate picked up slightly and we were both panting somewhat when we parted. I felt his kiss everywhere.

Once he finally set me down on my feet, I realized that we had not been alone in the room during our greeting. I could feel my cheeks heat up slightly and I turned to apologize to Bella, finding her searching for her shoes. "I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable. Please don't leave."

She waved off my apology, plastering a smile on her lips. "Don't worry about it. You two are still in that annoying, lovey-dovey phase." Once her shoes were securely on her feet Bella stood up. She went over to Jasper and awkwardly pressed her cheek to his. "I'll call you in the morning," she said, turning back to me.

I hated the fact that Bella felt she needed to leave as soon as Jasper entered the room. She was my best friend, my sister. We had been through a lot together and I never wanted her to feel as though she was in the way.

"We're driving down to visit my parents tomorrow, why don't you come with us? I know Charlie would love to see you." I went over to her as she was slipping on her coat.

Bella shut down at that point, her body becoming rigid and a hint of panic in her eyes. I knew that no matter what else was said, her answer was going to be no. "That's alright. I have a lot of work I need to finish up this weekend." She leaned down and hugged me quickly. "Thank you, though. It was nice to see you again, Jasper." The vivacious, witty Bella from earlier had disappeared.

He smiled, a hint of sadness behind the gesture. "You too, Bella."

I tried to protest, that was her excuse every time we invited her to come to Forks with us. She hadn't gone back since we left for college, avoiding everything associated with that horrible time.

"Bye." She waved before closing the door after her.

My first instinct was to go after her and bring her back. As I was about to Jasper came up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist and pulling me back against his chest. I settled back against him, sighing when I felt his chin rest down on my shoulder. His scent relaxed me, infiltrating my senses and easing the tension that had built up.

After a few minutes he released his hold on me and I helped him carry his bags to the bed room. Neither of us spoke, and I eventually changed into some silky pajama bottoms and a camisole while Jasper unpacked. I climbed up on our bed and settled into the center of it while he began his nightly routine.

I continued to worry about Bella. She had become even more closed off to me lately, and I didn't know what to do about it. If I had made her angry or uncomfortable I had to know about it. How could I fix it if I didn't know what the problem was?

"Alice." Jasper interrupted my thoughts.

Turning my attention to him, I smiled as he leaned over the bed in front of me.

"Leave Bella alone." He tapped my nose playfully, pushing back off of the bed and making his way to the bathroom.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" I huffed indignantly.

He chuckled. "Alice, I can practically see the wheels turning in your head." He stuck his head out of the bathroom, shaving cream along his cheeks and mouth. "I know that you are worried about her, but if she wanted your help she would ask for it."

"Jazz, you don't know her like I do. She's not herself anymore." I picked up one of the pillows from the head of the bed and hugged it close to my body. "I can't just sit back and do nothing."

"Honey, I know you are concerned. I am, too." He was quiet for a moment, carefully running the razor across his skin. "But, until she's ready there's really nothing that you can do for her."

I glared at him. Even though I didn't want to admit it, I knew that he was right.

The look in her eyes, the panic that had set in, at the mere mention of Forks was proof that she was still holding back. I had known that Bella was in a bad place, but I just didn't want to admit it.

"Well, does that mean you're ready to tell me what you're hiding?" I decided to turn the tables back on him. He probably thought that he distracted me thoroughly enough to earlier, but it would take a lot more than that.

"Allie," he sighed, stepping out of the bathroom. His face was smooth and soft, still red from the fresh shave. He made his way across the room and sat next to me on the bed. When I didn't say anything or acknowledge him beside me, he let out a groan of frustration. "Peter and I left the Convention Center on our third day there to get some lunch at one of the local restaurants."

I had been staring at my feet and finally lifted my head as he continued.

He let out a sigh, clenching his eyes shut. "I recognized a guy at one of the tables when we were being shown to our seats. He was someone I had seen in pictures, but had never met before."

I was confused. Who could he have seen that he wouldn't want me to know about? An old fraternity brother that he got arrested with? His stepfather?

Jasper ran one of his hands through my spiky hair, cupping my cheek gently. "Honey, it was Edward. He was there for the conference, too," he said softly.

Edward? Part of me was trying to decide if I had heard him correctly and the other part was thrilled that he was alive. "Did you talk to him? Is he alright? What did he say?"

"He's fine, Allie, we actually didn't discuss your family that much." Jasper explained.

"Why weren't you going to tell me about this? I have a right to know-" I started to say, trying to pull away from him.

"Before we went our separate ways I told Edward that you, Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme weren't the same without him. I explained how much each of you missed him and wanted him to return home." Jasper had one arm firmly around my waist and wouldn't let me move an inch; his other hand was still on my cheek, lightly stroking my skin. "I didn't want to get your hopes up that he might return. He was hurting."

I let out a sigh, nearly a whimper at the news he had given me.

Growing up, I had always been closer to Edward and hearing now that he was in pain made me ache for him. I wanted him to be happy. I wanted Bella to be happy.

Jasper continued to hold me close, pressing soft, sweet kisses along my temple and neck. Every once in awhile he would whisper his love for me and that everything would work out. The low hum of his voice and his soothing caresses eventually lulled me to sleep, the two us tangled together under the warm covers.

* * *

"Don't worry about that, I have some seasoning to put on the steaks while they're cooking." Uncle Carlisle explained to Jasper, making sure that the coals were heating up properly. We drove the afternoon after he had come home, giving us two full days in town.

"You know that I respect you, Carlisle, but just adding seasoning is no way to cook a steak." Jasper shook his disappointedly, holding up a bottle of his favorite marinade. "I poured this over the meat last night and let them soak."

Uncle Carlisle groaned. "You poured that stuff on this beautiful meat?"

"That's right, and you'll thank me for it once they're cooked." Jasper grinned.

I couldn't help but to giggle as I listened to the conversation the two of them were having. Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle had welcomed Jasper in from the beginning, making him an honorary member of the Cullen family. We had both been adopted taken under their wings.

Since it was a rare, warm sunny day, I decided to wear a sun dress. The heat felt good, allowing me to close my eyes and settle back to enjoy it.

My thoughts drifted to my parents, moments like these sometimes reminding me of them. I still couldn't bring myself to talk about the accident; I had blocked most of it out. Crunching metal, screams, and broken glass were the only things that I could clearly remember anymore.

"Is the food ready yet? I'm starving!" Emmett's booming voice broke me from my reverie as he and Rosalie came into the back yard. "Hey shortcake," he scooped me up into a bone crushing hug.

"Put me down you over grown bear," I squeaked.

He laughed, unaffected by my little tirade. "I've missed you, you little pipsqueak."

Kicking my legs in the air, I tried to glare down at him. "I wish that I could say the same."

"Emmett, put the poor girl down." Rosalie jumped to my defense. "There are others who would like to greet her as well."

He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers, darting his tongue out immediately.

My legs began pumping in fast succession, doing everything that I could to be released from his hold. "Now I know how Bella must feel when she's around us. I swear, Emmett Cullen, if I see your hands going anywhere between her shoulders and knees while I am still like this, I will be forced to take immediate action." I warned him.

"Oh really?" Emmett had my stomach resting on his shoulder and released his hold on my legs so that I fell further down, tightening his grip again. "What exactly do you think you can do to me?"

I hit the back of his thigh with all of my might.

Jasper's feet came into my view, coming up behind Emmett. "Would you mind putting my girlfriend down please?"

The entire backyard began spinning as I was finally set back down on my feet, only to be pulled into a tight hug by Rosalie, and then finally into Jasper's arms.

"You know you're my favorite cousin, Alice." Emmett grinned.

"I'm your only cousin." I mumbled.

"But you're still my favorite." He winked, finally noticing Carlisle and Esme. "Hey, Dad, are you sure you're cooking that right? I don't want my meat undercooked like last time. You could practically hear them mooing with each bite."

Uncle Carlisle, normally so calm and unaffected, narrowed his eyes at his son. "Are you questioning the heat of my coals?"

Everyone, including Aunt Esme, burst into laughter. Hearing those words come out of Carlisle's mouth was completely unexpected and perfect. If there had been any tension before, it was now absolved.

Rosalie and I went inside with Aunt Esme and helped her with the drinks and desserts. We dipped some strawberries in two kinds of chocolates and set them out on trays to harden. I placed the trays in the refrigerator, noticing a bottle of champagne. Aunt Esme just winked at me and made her out back outside with a few glasses of lemonade.

When all of the food was prepared, we each filled a plate with what we wanted and settled ourselves all around the backyard. It felt comfortable and right, being surrounded by family and loved ones.

Nothing was forced. We laughed and joked, enjoying the time we had together. It was natural and relaxing, I'm sure everyone wished we had Edward and even Bella with us, but no one let it ruin our time together.

Soon the afternoon turned into evening, the sky darkening and the sun setting.

I made my way over to the gate across the yard and leaned against it. The sunset could be seen perfectly from where I was standing and I didn't want to miss it. At one point someone turned the twinkle lights placed around the house on. The gate that I was standing at lit up.

Glancing around me, I smiled. The lights were perfect touch.

"You know," Jasper's slight drawl murmured in my ear, "I can tell exactly what you're feeling." He had come up behind me, placing his hands on the gate on either side of me, his lips tickling my ear.

"Oh really," I teased.

He nodded his head, a playful glint in his eyes. "You are feeling that this is the perfect moment. With the sun setting in the background and the lights creating a glow all around us, you're wondering if it can get any better than this."

"Lucky guess." I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly, feigning my interest in his next words.

"You are also wondering how serious I am about you." He gently turned me around so that I was facing him now, bending down slightly so that he was eye level with me. "Why don't you tell me?"

It took me a second to register his words, my head foggy due to our proximity. My eyes glanced down to his hand that was now in front of him, something small and shiny placed in the palm. Upon closer inspection I saw that it was an engagement ring, the same ring I had noticed in a Tiffany's catalogue a few months back. It was a one carat princess cut ring with a diamond band.

He got down on one knee, a proud grin on his face and a few tears in his eyes. "You came into my life like a whirlwind. A little monster that has kept me on my toes from day one, and I wouldn't trade that for anything." He took my left hand in his. "It's only been a year, but I knew from the moment I met you one year ago that we were destined for each other. Will you, Mary Alice Brandon, marry me?"

Tears spilled down my cheeks as I nodded my head vigorously, not even needing to think about it. "Yes. Yes." My fingers trembled as he slid the ring into place and stood to his feet.

Pulling me into his arms, Jasper leaned down and just before his lips brushed against mine he whispered, "Thank you."

* * *

_Thank you to everyone who has read this and the originals **NOSTP**, **TFTST**, and the new **NOSTP Outtakes**. I love this story and my characters so much and am thankful to everyone who has stuck with me through this journey. Thank you to **rmcrms5** for betaing this series and to **ysar** for bidding on me in the past **April Auction** and coming up with this idea for the companion piece._

_In case anyone didn't fully understand this chapter, this is set before Edward and Bella met in NOSTP. It's the story of how Alice and Jasper got engaged.  
_

_Tomorrow is the last day to bid for the **Support Stacie Vampire Auction**. So if you would like me to write something for you, stop by and bid on me. The link is in my profile (there's also a **Special Offer** that I think you'd be interested)._

_**Mskathy** has also put together a compilation to help those in **Haiti**. Check out her blog for the details: _http://mskathyff[dot]blogspot[dot]


End file.
